Unless you’ve communicated a specific forklift travel speed to the dealer, equipment comes from the manufacturer to your facility at a preset speed based on its model; however, the preset speed may not match your production or safety goals.
The Reasons For Forklift Travel Speed Adjustments
To address the most common reasons for speed adjustments on forklifts, most customer requests involve reducing speed, often following an incident at their facility or a nearby company. Some forklifts lack built-in speed control features, prompting customers to seek dealer assistance for adjustments.
The typical target speed for such changes is around 5 mph, especially in areas shared by pedestrians and forklifts. However, this change can impact productivity and must be balanced against daily output goals and operator comfort, particularly when working outdoors where slower speeds may increase exposure to the elements.
Forklift Operator Visibility
While speed can contribute to forklift accidents, other factors, such as visibility, often play a larger role. Visibility challenges arise when operators and pedestrians struggle to see each other, sometimes due to racking or when pedestrians are too close or in a blind spot.
Understanding operators' production goals, issues with the forklift, and their training history is essential for better safety management. Accidents often prompt discussions about additional safety measures like speed limits, pedestrian lights, mandatory safety vests, and awareness-building safety posters.
Forklift Speed Controls
To manage forklift speed effectively, several options are available. Speed control kits can be installed for on-site adjustments without dealer assistance. Impact managers, which log the impact details and activate an alarm, render the forklift inoperable until a supervisor resets it with a code. Speed management systems can also control operator access profiles, limiting use to authorized forklifts and adjusting speed automatically based on location. Assessing how forklift speed affects both productivity and safety at your facility, along with reviewing past incidents, helps inform necessary improvement actions.
Search our online catalog for ideas to enhance safety at your facility. ProLift can also support your safety training efforts with classroom and hands-on instruction.
